Stellar at 1-Altitude: The new “out of this world” Constellations menu

August 25, 2015

Since its inception in 2010, the 1-Altitude brand has earned multiple accolades for its sky-high experience offering guests three lifestyle concepts spanning the 61st to 63rd floor atop One Raffles Place. 1-Altitude’s spectacular views have understandably cast a shadow on Stellar’s food in the past, but Executive Chef Christopher Millar and Pastry Chef Jasmin Chew are hoping to shift this focus by offering diners a truly gastronomic experience with the launch of their Constellations menu.

Ambience

Situated on the 62nd floor, Stellar is elegant and modern with high ceilings and minimalistic white interior designs, never distracting from the panoramic views of the Marina Bay skyline. With seating for up to 100 people in the main area and an additional 80 seats in private rooms, Stellar’s expansive dining space is complemented by a beautiful chandelier created by designer Wei Tan, a modern art piece which is reminiscent of the ethereal feel of the northern lights.

Food

The Constellations Gastronomic menu allows guests to create their own six (S$120++), seven (S$140++) or eight-course (S$160++) menu from a range of 19 innovative dishes. The selection has an emphasis on seafood with distinct Japanese nuances and includes dishes such as the exquisite diver-caught scallop – each bite a combination of flavours and textures from the fresh scallop on a bed of creamy milk skin wrapped around a poached quail egg topped with parmesan crackers and bacon ash. If you’re a fan of more robust and smokey flavours, you can’t go past the wood-fired cauliflower pureed with tahini and mint, dressed with Persian feta, pomegranate and pistachio.

“A Fine Swine” was definitely worth trying, featuring suckling pig, Iberico Pluma and Kurobuta pork belly plated on a small wooden chopping board shaped like a piglet but our favourite for the evening was definitely the melt-in-mouth Japanese Hida Wagyu beef A5 served with bone marrow which was baked into a light custard. If the wagyu wasn’t already delicious enough, the gribiche sauce on the side made with capers and parsley added just the right amount of flavour.

Chef Millar tells us that the menu isn’t about signature dishes but aims to take diners on an experiential journey through the stars which provokes emotions and instills lasting memories of the meal. Only the best seasonal produce are sourced, with some vegetables coming from Singapore’s first sustainable urban farming project, Comcrop rooftop garden in Orchard.

We finished the evening with an extravagant in-person dessert performance from Pastry Chef Chew who assembles, torches and paints her masterpiece right at your table bringing together a complex palate of sweet and sour notes and texture profiles which will definitely leave you smiling. You can select from six indulgent desserts but we would recommend trying the Vanilla Blancmange with almond croquant and passionfruit, or the Valrhona chocolate praline fire ball.

Verdict

There’s no disputing the incredible experience dining at such heights coupled with Singapore’s most famous views. We loved the experiential concept for diners, aspects of which are guaranteed to wow, but we’d love to see a bit of fine tuning to bring a closer marriage and complement of flavours brought by each dish. Nevertheless, Stellar offers anexperience which brings dining to a whole new level.

Digital nomad and freelancer. Lives by two rules: Always try everything at least once; and never stop learning and growing. You can find Andy at the hottest restaurant in town, 30,000 feet up in the air or underwater with sea turtles.